Gorazd Meško

Gorazd Meško is Professor of Criminology and Head of the Chair of Criminology at the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor (FCJS UM), Slovenia. A former dean and President of the European Society of Criminology, he has helped strengthen the international visibility of Slovenian criminology and its research partnerships. He has been a chair of the Criminal Justice and Security conference since 2004, a role that has led to significant networking and academic achievements for participants. The WCC 2027 is organised as a significant event, an upgrade of the previous 15 CJS biennial conferences in Central and Eastern Europe, organised by the FCJS UM since 1996. His scholarship connects police legitimacy, community policing, victimology, youth delinquency and local safety across urban and rural settings. He leads research on safety and security in local communities and has contributed to international comparative projects, doctoral education, and cooperation among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. He is also a Board member of the International Society for Criminology (ISC-SIC), Paris. His international distinctions include the Freda Adler Distinguished Scholar Award of the Division of International Criminology of the American Society of Criminology (2022), the Gerhard O. W. Mueller Award of the International Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) (2024), and the DRC Ralph Weisheit Lifetime Achievement Award in rural criminology of the American Society (2025). He is co-chair of the Awards Committee of the ACJS (2026-2027) and the upcoming Chair of the Awards Committee of the ACJS (2027-2028).

As Co-chair of WCC 2027, Gorazd Meško connects the University of Maribor with regional, continental and global criminological networks. He will introduce the development of Slovenian criminology and its international contributions, linking criminal justice, social justice, and security to research, policymaking, and practice.